Implantable electrical signal generators have been used to treat a variety of diseases and have been used in a variety of manners. For example, deep brain stimulation has been used to treat Parkinson's disease and essential tremor, and spinal cord stimulation or peripheral nerve stimulation has been used to treat pain. Implantable medical leads are operably coupled to the signal generators and carry electrical signals to appropriate locations of the patient so that a therapeutic benefit may be obtained.
A variety of different implantable leads may be selected for use in such therapies. However, currently available implantable signal generators are configured to be coupled to leads of a given type. For example, an implantable electrical signal generator may be configured to receive one or two eight electrode leads. To use four electrode leads with such a device, an adaptor or bifurcating lead extension may be employed.
In the past electrical signal generators, such as neurostimulators, were generally limited to 8 or 16 channels (e.g., capable of providing independent electrical signals to only eight or 16 electrodes). However, with technological advancement, implantable signal generators may have significantly more channels, such as 32 or 64, which allows for more electrodes to be used in therapy. Yet, such signal generators are still configured to accept only particular types of leads, unless an adaptor or the like is used.